The All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to resist any attempt to upturn the electoral victory of its Gubernatorial candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani who was declared winner of Saturday’s April 15th supplementary elections as announced by the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Hudu Yunusa.
The party at a Press Conference held its state headquarters in Yola bemoaned the negative propaganda spread on the media by Government Agents of the state’s ruling People’s Democratic Party inorder discredit the process that produced Aishatu a serving Senator as the winner of the keenly contested election.
Expressing its concern the Party’s State Acting Chairman,Elder Samaila Tadawus said that the party will explore all legal means possible to protect the mandate of Aishatu noting that she is already the state Governor elect. The party absolved its candidate from medical reports that she attempted to manipulate the process through financial inducements, saying their candidate remains the most popular amongst others as there was no need for her to thwart the process.
Speaking further, the Party said that contrary to false narrative peddled against their candidate, it was the State Government who mounted pressures on two National Commissioners on observation duty to illegally suspend the State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The party further accused Government Agents sponsored by the incumbent state Governor and PDP candidate Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of sponsoring violence in the state , which include the molestation of INEC officials as thugs were used to beat up and strip naked one of the INEC officials thinking he was the REC.
Samaila also dismissed reports that the REC usurped its powers in declaring Binani as winner, insisting that the INEC official is also saddled with such responsibility.
The party called on security Agencies to arrest persons involved in fermenting trouble in the state while urging the citizens to remain peaceful and law abiding. The party also urged the Electoral umpire to allow the court process to prevail in redressing Electoral matters.
The state read in parts;
We are concerned with the negative propaganda by the losers of this election. Some of them are: That the REC was bribed to make the declaration. This is a blatant lie. Our candidate was popular and did not require the manipulation of the process to win the election.
Those who needed to manipulate the process are the ones who wanted the REC to be illegally suspended by two National Commissioners on an observer duty.
“We are also aware that the molestation of the National Commissioners was done by Agents of the State Government. Hired thugs were used to molest one of them to the point that he was stripped half naked. Shamelessly, one of the Agents of the state Government was seen apologizing to the affected person and claiming that they molested him thinking he was the REC.
“We condemn the weaponization of violence by the opposition. This is seen by their so-called daily protest which is a harbinger for violence. We call on security Agencies to as a matter of urgency stop these misguided agitators who are bent on throwing the state into chaos.
“We wish to also express sincere appreciation to the people of the state for shunning their call for violence. We in the APC are peaceful and peace loving. We will continue to promote peace in the state because we believe that nothing can be achieved without peace.
“Let me state clearly that the APC and all our members in Adamawa state are solidly behind our Governor-elect and wish to announce that we will protect our mandate by all legal means.
“Finally, we call on INEC to abide by the legal requirements that provide for only the Tribunal or the courts to upturn a valid and lawful declaration.
“The REC has absolute responsibility for state elections The returning officers for Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections report to him. Arguing that the REC cannot do what he did in the circumstances he found himself is a losing argument.
The supplementary poll which saw the pronouncement of Binani as Governor elect was held to conclude the March 18 governorship elections.
